Syracuse police make arrest in city's latest homicide

Furman Street homicideSyracuse police responded to a report of a shooting around 8:15 a.m. Saturday. A police spokesman said the department is investigating a homicide. Police had taped off Furman Street and an adjoining street.

This story is reported by Robert A. Baker and Jim O'Hara

Syracuse, NY -- A Syracuse man is charged with the murder of another man found dead Saturday behind a shed on Furman Street.

Demetrius Huddleston, 24, of 154 Fage Ave., was charged Wednesday evening with second-degree murder and criminal possession of a weapon, records state. He is charged in the death of Jermaine Whitehead, 37, of Syracuse, the city's latest homicide victim.

Huddleston is accused of killing Whitehead, whose body was found Saturday morning in the backyard of a house in the 300 block of Furman Ave.

Police were called to the area at 4:45 a.m. to answer a shots-fired call, police said Saturday. Shell casings were found at that time, but Whitehead's body wasn't.

The body was discovered by a resident of the neighborhood who saw it lying behind a shed, Sgt. Tom Connellan said Saturday.

Huddleston is accused of firing a handgun near Whitehead at least three times. Whitehead suffered one gunshot wound to the head. The incident occurred at 4:35 a.m., police say.

Huddleston was arrested about 5 p.m. Wednesday in the 100 block of Fage Ave. on a misdemeanor charge of seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance. Police said Huddleston dropped a plastic bag from his right hand and stepped on it with his left foot in an effort to conceal it from police. The substance later tested positive for cocaine.